WBC bracket: USA vs. Venezuela in World Baseball Classic championship

[ASFN Admin]

The path taken by the United States to the 2026 World Baseball Classic championship game was not the smoothest this time, with a loss in pool play to Italy that featured postgame controversy related to manager Mark de Rosa's knowledge of the event's tiebreaker rules and nearly eliminated the Americans. Then came a nail-biting semifinal win over the Dominican Republic on Sunday, March 14, that ended on a controversial strikeout.

Now that the USA persevered to make the WBC championship game for the third time, Venezuela awaits in a winner-take-all matchup in Miami on Tuesday, March 17. It used a late rally to beat Italy in the other semifinal on Monday in front of another raucous crowd.

The U.S. last won the World Baseball Classic in 2017, when it beat Puerto Rico in the championship game. The Americans lost to Japan, 3-2, in the 2023 WBC championship game, which ended with Shohei Ohtani striking out Mike Trout.

Here's a look at the updated 2026 World Baseball Classic bracket, as well as the schedule for Tuesday's championship game between the USA and Venezuela:


PREDICTIONS: USA vs Venezuela World Baseball Classic picks for 2026 title game

World Baseball Classic bracket 2026​

Quarterfinals​

• Dominican Republic 10, South Korea 0 (F/7) – March 13 in Miami
• United States 5, Canada 3 – March 13 in Miami
• Italy 8, Puerto Rico 6 – March 14 in Houston
• Venezuela 8, Japan 5 – March 14 in Miami

Semifinals​

• United States 2, Dominican Republic 1 – March 15 in Miami
• Venezuela 4, Italy 2 – March 16 in Miami

WBC championship game​

• United States vs. Venezuela – Tuesday, March 17 in Miami (BUY TICKETS)

WBC schedule​

All times Eastern

Tuesday, March 17 (championship game)

• Venezuela vs. United States, 8 p.m. in Miami (TV: FOX)

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: WBC bracket 2026: USA vs Venezuela in World Baseball Classic final

Continue reading...